The Eldest Daughter
by MXWriter
Summary: From the view of a little princess residing in Minis Tirith. She is learning now that her world is about to change. Forever.
1. Chapter 1

The Eldest Daughter

The sound of her mothers voice called her. She hid under the table as Eldarion and Elboron parried with wooden swords in the main foyer. Her heart was beating fast. She grabbed onto her chest to insure it would not jump out in her excitement. There were soft footsteps on the marble that heightened the adrenaline in her veins. _She's here._ She tried to hide the giggle that snuck through her throat and cupped her hands over her mouth. That was when the first glimpse of the sea foam colored dress appeared. It carefully glided across the ground, hiding her mothers feet as she walked. Suddenly, her mother walked in front of a stone chair not to be seen again. _Where did mother go?_ The girl thought. She held her breath and closed her eyes to strengthen the sounds around her. The sound of wood sparring together was the loudest, then there were the thumps of hearts beating, the trickle of water from the foyer well, and the sound of soft Elven foraged wool on the marble. _That's her._ Though the thought came too close. She felt her feet pull from underneath her and the ground disappear beneath her. The arms of her mother surrounded her. She was caught.

"There you are." Her mother's voice carried through the hall like a singing sparrow.

The girl tangled her fingers in her mother's long black hair and squeezed her neck tightly. She smelled of Mallorn tree leaves and honey. For her there was no better smell.

"Arwen nin mel. Tul-hi," Father's voice began to echo on the walls.

That was when she heard it. The loud clinking of armor in the distance. It was repetitive in sound and the more she heard it the louder it grew. It sent a cold twist into her stomach as she tried to look down the long corridor. Nothing. The clinking grew louder and Eldarion finally heard it too. He dropped his sword and it gave Elboron the chance to swing a hit. _Did Elboron not hear it?_ She looked at the frail red-headed boy with the wooden sword. The sound filled her ears making the hair on her neck stand straight as arrows. That was when father finally arrived. His black hair speckled with the color of dark clouds, even more so than yesterday she noticed. His hair cascaded down to his shoulders but stayed still under the weight of the silver crown.

"Take the children to their chambers. They are coming." Her father said.

"Who-" The girl began to ask but the sound of a screaming child broke through.

For a moment everyone froze in place, terrified of what that signified. Her mother placed her on the ground carefully and gave her soft peck on the forehead.

"You sister must hear the soldiers too. Stay with your brother. Do not stray." She spoke in a whisper and kissed her on the nose.

Her mother walked away, continuing to glide down the hallway with grave. Turning her head, she saw Eldarion and Elboron bringing their wooden swords in a sneaking position behind her father. He would never let them win, but this was no time to play. He showed that by grabbing the swords with his hands and unarming them with a smile after just a moment.

"That is not fair Father! You have to imagine a real sword." Eldarion said, he was always whining about rules.

"If you want to see the real swords, go look down the mountain. Quickly, don't tell you mother." He whispered quietly, maybe hoping only the boys would hear.

 _I have the elf ears. Mother said so._ The girl thought with squinted eyes. As the boys faces grew with excitement, so did hers. She followed her father and the boys to the edge of the castle grounds. The long-pointed land that was the end of her world. At least that was as far as she'd ever gone. They walked past the naked tree in on the grounds. Men were scattering around with shields, swords, and bows on their backs.

"Father, what do they do?" The girl asked grabbing tightly to his hand tightly.

"They prepare to protect us." He said as they strode out carefully.

"Protect us from what?"

Though they were almost to the edge of the small wall when she asked, Eldarion and Elboron looked over the edge and down to the long hills of the land. The girl peaked over as well with the help of her father and saw a group of black cloaked figures walking towards the gates. Shivers went through her, she shut her eyes and hid behind her father.

"Do not worry. They are the from Eregion. The Elven town in by the Misty Mountains. They will march with us to fight." She could hear the happiness in her father's voice.

Back down onto the group of elves, she could feel her own eagerness rising. She heard their footsteps, heard their armor under their cloaks, and she could see the bows held tight on their backs. If father was excited, she knew she should be as well. She could hear his thrill in his heartbeat. Quickly, she looked back down at the group that now walked through the gate. Their heads down she could not see their faces. She imagined what they might look like. The elves she'd met so far had been beautiful. These would be just the same, surely.

They continued to walk up, Father was standing in position to welcome his allies. Though something in her stomach began to turn. She closed her eyes and held her breath again, listening one last time. The sound of their footsteps against the dirt and cobblestone path. Their bows swinging along their cloaks and snagging at the ends with every other step. The sound of their breathing. Slow. Steady. Sure.

"Father, are they old elves?" The girl asked, her voice excited for the answer.

"They are Elves like the rest, all old of course." He said.

The girl grinned and grabbed his hands.

"I've never met elves without hearts." She said and swung her father's hand as she spun.

Her father pulled his grip from hers and knelt down beside her in one swift motion.

"Quiet." He said.

The girl obeyed and watched her father's expression begin to fade from eager to dread.

"Get the guards. We have imposters in our keep."

The moment the first sword drew, she closed her eyes and screamed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

From the Ashes

They appeared within seconds. Once their cover was blown, they showed their true selves. Her fathers' sword met the enemy before her screaming became breathless. She covered her eyes, but that only magnified the sounds. The swords hitting flesh and bone crackled around her. The flow of unrestricted blood and the sound of it dripping along the rocky ground. Her hands shook violently as she continued to scream. Her eyes still being hidden to the horrors around her was the only comfort she had. Although they had no heartbeats, the enemy did not lack sound. Growls and grumbles from their mouths cried out. She could hear their pain-filled grunts. The enemy called and cried like a stray cat's hiss from the village, mixed with the deep throaty growl of a tiger.

"Take the children inside! Now!" Her father's voice broke through the clinking of swords and grunts of man.

"Adar!" she cried, at least she thought she did. She felt no sound come from her, nor the movement in her legs to escape. Her body was too frightened to move.

"Come to me. Come to the sound of my voice!" Her father yelled to her. She heard his heart. The beating was fast but steady. _He is not afraid._ She thought.

If her father had no fear, she could not either. She released the tight pinch of her eyes and slowly peaked out. Her once peaceful playground was now a field of black blood and death. A scream rumbled in her throat again while her knees shook her towards the ground. Her father was just there, on the other side of the naked tree. Her brother and Elboron were safely beside him already. They clung to each other tightly and were now waving for her to follow. If she ran, she could make it. She had to go. She had to go now. With her trembling left foot, she advanced forward. Just then she felt a breeze of cool wind slide down her back, the sound of metal meeting earth made her jump. The end of a sword now stood where she was just a moment ago. It was dull but deep in the soil. She followed the hand that bore the sword, and the scream escaped her lips freely. _What is that?_ Her mind raced for the stories Mother and Father would tell them. Though none had ever described such a beast. This was no elf, orc, or troll. This was something she had not heard of before and never wanted to see again. Its eyes were black as the night without stars while its skin was scribbled with colors of gray and white. Like the cracks of cobblestone, its skin was in patches that fit together. Gray stone-like patches. Its color reminded her of the clouds before a storm, but it was the eyes that bothered her most. A chill shivered up her spine making the hairs on her back stand. It was staring at her, unmoving and speechless. Suddenly it curled its head back while its lips wrinkled up on the sides. It pulled its head back down to face her and let out a roaring hiss. Its patchy stone skin began glowing between the cracks. The color of yellow, orange, and red. _Fire_. The heat slammed into her face like a flood and she took a jolting step back. The monster lifted its sword from the earth and towered it above her head.

"RUN TO ME!" Her father's voice screamed. She was gone.

Her feet flew under her without her control just as she heard the sword meet the earth again. She ran full speed towards her father and brother, the enemy around her falling in numbers. By the time she reached her father he was sheathing his sword and lifting her off the ground. Nothing else had ever felt so safe than being right there in her father's arms. No harm could find her, and no night black eyes could see her. She felt him run up into the keep with what was left of the guards behind him.

"The stories were true." One was breathless as he spoke.

"Yes" her father said, while she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

"They, they killed the elves then. They killed the elves!" Another began to panic.

"Yes." Her father continued to speak calmly.

"Are there going to be more?" Eldarion asked pulling on the sleeve of his shirt.

"Yes." He sighed as he answered, and she tightened her grip at his words.

Her father's heart was beginning to calm, and she felt the security of the great hall surround her. The echoing whimpers of Eldarion and Elboron sounded through the hall.

"I do not mean to cry." Eldarion said, "I do not mean to be afraid."

She felt the ground touch her feet as her father placed her on the ground. Her own tears beginning to overwhelm her. The light-colored eyes of the king stared at the three children. His face calm and careful. Even though his lips were slightly hidden by the gray speckled beard, she could see the smile clearly.

"Do not be ashamed to feel fear. You are allowed to be scared. You are safe now, and to show true courage is to not let that fear control you. Will you be strong?" He placed a hand on Eldarion's shoulder, while she nodded up and down and wiped the tears from her eyes. His voice and words always warmed her in the most fearsome of places.

"Elboron!" Lady Eowyn cried as she wrapped her arms around the boy.

Her father stood from his kneeling position and looked at the tired bloodstained men before him.

"The rumors are true, and are worse than I feared. A fortnight ago I received word that a fire had been seen in the ashes of Gorgoroth. We now see the fire is part of our new enemy. I will ask you to fight like I did years ago. We do not know the enemy we face, but we will not fear them. We will defend our land from the new evil that beckons us. Gather only the strongest men, we leave when the next sun rises."

The way he spoke sent warmth in her veins. He had taken the fear she had once felt so strongly and turned it into a passion to fight. She wanted to fight alongside him, even if she only came up to the belt on his waist. The sound of her mother coming down the hall turned her from his speech. The water swelled in her eyes once again as she ran towards the arms of more comfort. She had to say her goodbye's as well, as she was going to leave with them.


End file.
